E-Newsletter Volume 12, Issue 4 / April 2022 |
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Job Openings at Bay-Lake RPC |
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Bay-Lake RPC is looking to add to our team! We currently have two job openings:
Community Assistance Planner II - This is a full time Planner II position. The right candidate for this position will have a working knowledge of the principles and practices of planning; knowledge of federal and state planning programs and appropriate regulations and guidelines; strong customer service skills; experience in report preparation, grant writing, and administration; ability to make public presentations; ability to maintain effective professional relationships with staff, public officials, and others; and good professional judgment. The qualified candidate will be primarily working on comprehensive planning projects in the first year of this position and will be expected to attend night meetings. Applications for this position are being accepted through April 11, 2022.
Accounting Clerk - This is a part time paid position that will begin as temporary but has the opportunity to work into a permanent part-time position. The right candidate for this Accounting Clerk position will have basic knowledge of accounting and spreadsheets; good file management and organizational skills; good customer service skills; ability to maintain effective professional relationships with staff and others; and good professional judgment. Applications for this position are being accepted until the position is filled.
More information about both these positions and employment applications can be found on our website.
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New Infrastructure Funding Opportunities |
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The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is bringing in more transportation infrastructure funding for the state. WisDOT has notified the Commission that two additional solicitations for projects will occur this year. The first solicitation closed on April 1 and focused on construction projects that were shovel ready. The second solicitation is currently open, will close on June 3, 2022, and will be used to fund projects eligible for Surface Transportation Program (STP)-Urban, STP-Rural, STP-Local, Local Bridge Assistance, and Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) programs. Eligibility for the second solicitation includes both design and construction projects for FFYs 2023 through 2026 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2026).
As the selection process for the recently closed Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) cycle is still underway, WisDOT has announced the program will not be included in this second solicitation but should be receiving its own solicitation in August of 2022.
More information about the solicitations and their requirements can be found on WisDOT’s website here.
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National Coastal Resiliency Fund
2022 Request for Proposals
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The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has announced the 2022 National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) Request for Proposals (RFP). The NCRF this year will be awarding $140 million in grant funds for projects related to coastal resiliency. The program focuses on planning, design, and restoration of natural and nature-based solutions to help protect coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural hazards. Priorities of the program include nature-based solutions, community resilience benefits, and fish and wildlife benefitts.
For more information on what projects qualify and how to apply click here for the NCRF website. Pre-proposals are due April 21st.
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Main Street Bounceback Grant Program Update |
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Bay-Lake RPC is continuing to accept grant applications for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Main Street Bounceback Grant program. Since the program began, we have received over 820 Intents to Apply and funded 312 applications! Grant eligibility includes:
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New purchaser or tenant with a 12 month or longer signed lease of a vacant commercial space or a business that expanded its existing footprint into additional vacant commercial space. Lease or sales contract must be dated on or after January 1, 2021. Some exceptions may apply.
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Due to high program demand, beginning March 1, 2022, applications for properties under 300 square feet will be placed on a waiting list for funding in the Bay-Lake region. This applies to all applications that are in process and have not yet received final approval as well as all new applications. The Main Street Bounceback grant program eligibility period is scheduled to end June 30, 2022. Depending on demand for the program, funding availability, and other applicable eligibility factors, Bay-Lake RPC will begin reviewing applications on the waitlist on a first come, first served basis (application must be fully complete with no missing documents) toward the end of the eligibility period. More information on this update can be found on the grant program's webpage.
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New Round Open for T-Mobile Hometown Grant |
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T-Mobile is committing up to $25 million over the next 5 years to support small towns across America by funding community projects. Communities under 20,000 in population are eligible to apply for the T-Mobile Hometown Grant for up to $50,000 that will help fund projects to build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that help foster local connections in your town. For example, this might include town square pavilion, a historic building, an outdoor park, a ball field, or a library. Every community has places where friends and neighbors connect.
Applications are acceptable quarterly with the next deadline being June 30, 2022. See the T-Mobile Hometown Grant webpage for info on the project, the application, and to see a list of previously funded projects.
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New ACS Data Now Available! |
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In March, the U.S. Census Bureau released new statistics from the 2016-2020 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. The 5-year estimates are available for all geographies down to the block group level and represent data collected over a 5-year period of time.
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Minor amendments to the 2022 – 2025 Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) were approved by the Commission at its meeting on March 11th. These amendments involved the addition of local and WisDOT design projects to be implemented in the future. These amendments have been posted to the Commission’s MPO webpage here.
Updating the long-range transportation plan for the metropolitan planning area continues to be a major task in 2022. Commission staff spent much of February updating Chapters 1 (Introduction), 2 (Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process), and 3 (Profile of the Metropolitan Planning Area) of the Year 2050 Sheboygan Area Transportation Plan (SATP) based on new data from the 2016 – 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates that were released in mid-March. Staff will soon be using results of an online survey and information gathered at the February 24th joint meeting of the Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees to establish a mission statement, goals and objectives for the plan (Chapter 4). Staff has also begun to prepare Chapter 5 of the plan (Existing Condition of the Transportation Network), with emphasis on the bicycle, pedestrian and transit network sections of that chapter.
In March, Commission staff participated virtually in a webinar with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regarding updated requirements for Public Transit Agency Safety Plans (PTASPs). In addition, Commission staff participated in a special meeting of the Transportation Conformity Workgroup of the MPO to discuss modeling procedures in support of the conformity determination for the upcoming Year 2050 SATP. Commission staff also participated in a virtual meeting sponsored by WisDOT staff regarding the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and what it means for funding of local transportation programs.
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Want to help make an impact in our region? Below are links to the public input activities and surveys that are currently open. |
Year 2050 Sheboygan Area Transportation (SATP) Plan Public Input Survey |
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The Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is in the process of developing the Year 2050 Sheboygan Area Transportation Plan (SATP), a plan for guiding the future of transportation for the Sheboygan Metropolitan Planning Area. To help in this effort, the Sheboygan MPO is asking residents in the area to answer a few questions about transportation. The link to the survey can be found here: https://arcg.is/1XK0Kv0.
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Upcoming Events & Meetings |
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Town of Gardner Comprehensive Plan Open House and Public Hearing
Wednesday, April 27, 5:30pm
Southern Door Community Auditorium
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Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees Joint Meeting
Thursday, April 28, 1:00pm
Sheboygan City Hall & Virtual
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Bay-Lake RPC Executive
Committee Meeting
Friday, April 29, 10:00am
Bay-Lake RPC Office
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Check with the Bay-Lake RPC COVID-19 Response and Recovery Portal for new and upcoming events/workshops.
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- May 26, 2022 -
Sheboygan MPO Technical and Policy Advisory Committees Joint Meeting
1:00pm
Sheboygan City Hall and Virtual
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Funding and Grant Opportunities |
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April and May Grant Deadlines
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- OBT Community Asset Building Grant Program (April 14)
- USDOT Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) (April 14)
- DWD Wisconsin Fast Forward Grants (April 15)
- WDNR ATV/UTV Trail Aids (April 15)
- WDNR Snowmobile Trail Aids (upcoming season) (April 15)
- WDNR Targeted Runoff Management Grant Program (April 15)
- WDNR Urban Nonpoint Source & Storm Water Management Grant Program (April 15)
- WEDC Workforce Innovation Grant Program (April 15)
- USDA Rural Energy Pilot Program (April 19)
- USDA Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program (April 19)
- NEA Challenge America (April 21)
- WDNR Acquisition of Development Rights (ADR) Subprogram (May 1)
- WDNR Land and Water Conservation Fund Program (May 1)
- WDNR Recreational Trails Program (May 1)
- WDNR Urban Green Space (UGS) Subprogram (May 1)
- WDNR Urban Rivers (UR) Subprogram (May 1)
- USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (May 6)
- WDOA CDBG – Public Facilities (May 12)
- DHHS Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) (May 23)
- USDOT Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities (May 31)
- USDOT Low or No Emission Vehicle Program (May 31)
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Do you want to know more about planning services or grants available? |
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The staff of the Bay-Lake RPC are happy to speak to your boards/councils, committees, organization, or community groups about what is happening in our region. We are also available to assist communities and counties with meeting facilitation.
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